Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Saturday pitched for handing over power to the youth in the organisation, saying there is “no option” as the party is “facing challenges” in the backdrop of its drubbing in the recent Assembly polls. Singh’s remarks come in the backdrop of a renewed buzz in the Congress circles about Rahul Gandhi’s sooner than later elevation as party president.

“Now, we have to hand over power to the youth and there is no option. When I spoke about major surgery, some people had objections. But the power should go in the hands of youth and this is a necessity from the party’s point of view,” Singh said.

He was speaking at a function organised to mark 25th death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi. The programme started with Vande Mataram and chants of Bharat Mata ki Jai. Singh said youth forms a major chunk of the population and with benefits from the reservations over the years many have been elevated to the middle class. He also emphasised on the need to understand the “aspirations” of youth and the
middle class.

Asserting that the party was facing “challenges”, he said there was a need to take on them. Youths are believed to have played a major role in the victory of Narendra Modi in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. One of the criticism of Rahul Gandhi after the loss of the Congress in the general elections was that the party vice-president failed to enthuse the young voters.

Attacking the BJP, he said the it was wearing the “mask of nationalism”, but its “real face” is like British policy of divide and rule. “The BJP and Modi ji are trying to take credit these days, but the pillar of the modern India is Rajiv Gandhi.

“Those who never participated in the freedom struggle are trying to wedge a divide in the society and are misguiding the youth and the country. Our fight is not against any person, but against an ideology. The RSS ideology is to divide,” Singh said.

Singh said the BJP wants to appropriate Gandhi, Bose and Ambedkar. But they were all opposed to the RSS.

In an attempt to give pep talk to the workers after polls drubbing Congress leader Kuamri Selja said “Anyone can ask for a change after 15 years. We couldn’t form the government in Assam and Kerala. What is that we don’t have? We have leaders, policy and intent (so don’t lose hope).”